110V vs 220V?

no, there is no measurable difference other than time.

 

220/240v charging is not any "cheaper", from an electricity usage standpoint, especially considering the cost of the EVSE. (although, technically it is more efficient)

Any gain in mileage is due to quicker charging times. Thus faster turn-around times to drive in EV more.

I started running into situations where the PiP was not fully charged by the time I needed to drive again.
With 3 kids in 3 schools, errands, fun and work, quick charge times are a must if I am going to take advantage of the PiP.
If I was just doing nightly charging, I'd stick with the L1 cord.

 

Correct.. higher mpg because you can pop home and top off for 45 minutes and be back out on the road.

 

Charging at 220 is SLIGHTLY more efficient. Not much though. If you going to do it do it to save time. I agree with chesleyn's comment.

 

Charging at different line voltages
208/220/240 AC line voltage= It is more efficient on the batteries CHARGER with lower loss in the PFC (power factor correction) than in 110/120 AC line voltage.
Different line voltages DO NOT affect the batteries by them self.

 

BTW Joyce, I did not buy a $3k 240 dedicated EVSE. I sent in my personal EVSE that came with the PiP to EVSE upgrades to have it modified to work on both 120 & 240. At work we have 120, so it is a 3-hr charge. At home I had my electrician upgrade the plug and circuit to a 240.

The dedicated EVSE's are a waste of money because the plug-in prius can only pull down about 1.9-2.2 kWh on a 240v. They are not like a leaf which can pull down much more.

 

I definitely wouldn't call an EVSE a waste. For about $400 I'm going to have an openevse AND my Toyota portable EVSE.

 

Well I meant the $2k ones. $400 is a good price. I don't have the electrical know how to build an openevse.


iPhone ?

 

I was talking to PGE customer service to discuss with my options to go for E9 rates in CA.
While discussing, he did tell me that LEAF consumes way more KHW from the grid when it goes up from L2 to L3 level charging. Should be the same for PIP

 

The PiP can do L1 and L2, not L3.

 

L3 is DC direct 480v charging. It circumvents the car's onboard charger. Totally different plug. Prius PHV is not capable of that.

 

I did not mean 'L3', but 220/240 v.

 

In that case, the PGE contact is full of BS, unless you are also confusing KW with KWH.

 

Leaf has 24kwh battery, it consumes way more than 24kwh when charged via 220v battery charger.
Thats exactly what PGE sales told me.

 

That's expected. Usually 85% efficiency, so 29.5kWh to store 24kWh.

 

So you agree that if we use 220 charger, its efficiency decreases ?.

 

relatively NOT, the majority of charging loss efficiency is in the battery assembly charger , like any electrical charger there is. At different stages of AC to DC conversions there will be a conversion loss.
As a silly example, when you put a pot in the stove to heat up something, like water, the flame or heat source will disperse the BTU's, mainly over the pot bottom, hence transferring the heat to the other side to start boiling the water; but at the same time, the same heat source will disperse some of the constant BTUs on the pot's sides and overflowing over the air, this will be the inefficiency of this particular example.
At electrical conversion we look at almost the same principle. There are electrical circuits that can be use to minimize the loss, some times called PFC (power factor correction) but never to recoup the total of the loss of the conversion. Also, electrical circuit can be very complex in this type of applications but very costly and not budget minded.

 

KiloWattHr meter can be of help over here to check your cost to charge using 110v cable, or 220v charger.

 

Definitely not. If anything, efficiency increases because of the shorter charging time.

What the PGE guy meant was that at 240+ volt charging, electricity consumption is 2-4x higher *while charging*. But of course charging time is reduced by tge very same 2x-4x.